free-range politics, organic community

Midnight Special - "All I know is that first you’ve got to get mad" Edition

Submitted by Big Al on Wed, 06/20/2018 - 12:12am

A couple items from the news:

"President Trump said on Monday that he would direct the Pentagon to establish a sixth branch of the armed forces dedicated to protecting American interests in outer space, an idea that has troubled lawmakers and even some members of his administration, who have cautioned that the action could create unnecessary bureaucratic responsibilities for a military already burdened by conflicts.

During a speech at a meeting of the National Space Council, Mr. Trump announced plans to protect American interests in space through monitoring commercial traffic and debris, initiatives he said would be “great not only in terms of jobs and everything else, it’s great for the psyche of our country.”

You say we don't have a dictator? WTF does that sound like? Did he ask you? He sure didn't ask me.

Oh? It's the Constitution? Bullshit.

"House Republicans released a proposal Tuesday that would balance the budget in nine years — but only by making large cuts to entitlement programs, including Medicare, that President Trump vowed not to touch.

The House Budget Committee is aiming to pass the blueprint this week, but that may be as far as it goes this midterm election year. It is not clear that GOP leaders will put the document on the House floor for a vote, and even if it were to pass the House, the budget would have little impact on actual spending levels.

Nonetheless the budget serves as an expression of Republicans’ priorities at a time of rapidly rising deficits and debt. Although the nation’s growing indebtedness has been exacerbated by the GOP’s own policy decisions — including the new tax law, which most analyses say will add at least $1 trillion to the debt — Republicans on the Budget Committee said they felt a responsibility to put the nation on a sounder fiscal trajectory."

Ya, we knew this was coming. The debt and the deficit. The ruling class requires the peasant class to foot the bill so they can remain the ruling class, with even more wealth and yachts and islands and million dollar fucking RVs.

Cuts to "defense", i.e., war and imperialism? Nada, zilch, zippo. Not only that, they want to rule space, those psycho bastards. Trump is just a fucking front, he'll do and say anything for a buck.

I was on another blog where the discussion centered around a people's movement and where to start. I said, boycott the next election between the two oligarchy political parties. That's how the ruling class maintains it's hold on power, through this bogus political system and the two completely controlled and totally corrupted major political parties.

The goal must be to stop those two political parties.

Or we can wait until they privatize Medicare and Social Security, bomb Iran and completely destroy our country.

and you're right, we knew this was coming after the grand tax cut robbery. They gave rich people a $1.5 trillion deal, but we are on the hook for close to $9 trillion. Great deal, aye? The government has been telling people that SS and Medicare are going broke for so long that the younger generations don't think that they are going to be around for them when they retire so why should they have to pay into them now?

House Republicans offered a budget proposal on Tuesday that would cut mandatory spending by $5.4 billion over a decade, including $537 billion in cuts to Medicare and $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and other health programs.

On Medicare, the budget would move towards a system of private health insurance plans competing with one other, rather than the current open-ended, government-provided Medicare system.
...

The budget also proposes $2.6 trillion in reductions to other mandatory spending programs, including welfare and other anti-poverty program.

“Despite an extraordinary past and a booming economy thanks to tax reform, there are real fiscal challenges casting a shadow of doubt on the nation’s future, including $21 trillion of debt that is rapidly on the rise. We must overcome the challenges,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-Ark.).

....
Non-defense discretionary spending, which covers most of the federal government’s activities, would drop from the $597 billion to $555 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, defense spending would climb from $647 billion (closer to $800 billion) this year to $736 billion in 2028.

Well you could quit giving over half the budget to the effing military, defense companies and stop supporting the terrorist who are doing your dirty work for us. Oh yeah, and to all the foreign countries that we're giving billions to so they can buy their weapons from our defense companies.

As the United States government admits that Social Security and Medicare services are going bankrupt and will both be completely depleted within the next 16 years, American taxpayers are giving around $10.5 million to a close ally that is routinely accused of human rights violations.

While the U.S. government’s failure to take care of its citizens may be viewed as a good thing because it lets them turn to solutions in the private sector to solve their problems, the government is still robbing citizens through taxes, and making it look as if it will benefit them in the long run through programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

In reality, the federal government is using the money it extorts from citizens to fund endless wars in the Middle East—with the price tag for the longest war in U.S. history costing double the estimate of what it would cost to end homelessness in the U.S. annually in 2018. Millions of taxpayer dollars are also being spent on questionable foreign aid programs, such as the United States’ increasing pledges of military aid to Israel.

Guess what country has universal health while we are told that we can't afford it? Yep. Israel.
If you hit the WP paywall ... Different link

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21 users have voted.

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Disclaimer: No Russian, living or dead, had anything to do with the posting of this proudly home-grown comment

and you're right, we knew this was coming after the grand tax cut robbery. They gave rich people a $1.5 trillion deal, but we are on the hook for close to $9 trillion. Great deal, aye? The government has been telling people that SS and Medicare are going broke for so long that the younger generations don't think that they are going to be around for them when they retire so why should they have to pay into them now?

House Republicans offered a budget proposal on Tuesday that would cut mandatory spending by $5.4 billion over a decade, including $537 billion in cuts to Medicare and $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and other health programs.

On Medicare, the budget would move towards a system of private health insurance plans competing with one other, rather than the current open-ended, government-provided Medicare system.
...

The budget also proposes $2.6 trillion in reductions to other mandatory spending programs, including welfare and other anti-poverty program.

“Despite an extraordinary past and a booming economy thanks to tax reform, there are real fiscal challenges casting a shadow of doubt on the nation’s future, including $21 trillion of debt that is rapidly on the rise. We must overcome the challenges,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-Ark.).

....
Non-defense discretionary spending, which covers most of the federal government’s activities, would drop from the $597 billion to $555 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, defense spending would climb from $647 billion (closer to $800 billion) this year to $736 billion in 2028.

Well you could quit giving over half the budget to the effing military, defense companies and stop supporting the terrorist who are doing your dirty work for us. Oh yeah, and to all the foreign countries that we're giving billions to so they can buy their weapons from our defense companies.

As the United States government admits that Social Security and Medicare services are going bankrupt and will both be completely depleted within the next 16 years, American taxpayers are giving around $10.5 million to a close ally that is routinely accused of human rights violations.

While the U.S. government’s failure to take care of its citizens may be viewed as a good thing because it lets them turn to solutions in the private sector to solve their problems, the government is still robbing citizens through taxes, and making it look as if it will benefit them in the long run through programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

In reality, the federal government is using the money it extorts from citizens to fund endless wars in the Middle East—with the price tag for the longest war in U.S. history costing double the estimate of what it would cost to end homelessness in the U.S. annually in 2018. Millions of taxpayer dollars are also being spent on questionable foreign aid programs, such as the United States’ increasing pledges of military aid to Israel.

Guess what country has universal health while we are told that we can't afford it? Yep. Israel.
If you hit the WP paywall ... Different link

up

9 users have voted.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@snoopydawg
the US is being used as a cash cow for Israel. I'm done with thinking that the US are forever tied to its hip.

They are a country of about 9-10 million; the US is about 325 million, and yet we have to support them. They are a huge part of the reason we have a huge military engaged in wrecking other countries in the east.

and you're right, we knew this was coming after the grand tax cut robbery. They gave rich people a $1.5 trillion deal, but we are on the hook for close to $9 trillion. Great deal, aye? The government has been telling people that SS and Medicare are going broke for so long that the younger generations don't think that they are going to be around for them when they retire so why should they have to pay into them now?

House Republicans offered a budget proposal on Tuesday that would cut mandatory spending by $5.4 billion over a decade, including $537 billion in cuts to Medicare and $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and other health programs.

On Medicare, the budget would move towards a system of private health insurance plans competing with one other, rather than the current open-ended, government-provided Medicare system.
...

The budget also proposes $2.6 trillion in reductions to other mandatory spending programs, including welfare and other anti-poverty program.

“Despite an extraordinary past and a booming economy thanks to tax reform, there are real fiscal challenges casting a shadow of doubt on the nation’s future, including $21 trillion of debt that is rapidly on the rise. We must overcome the challenges,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-Ark.).

....
Non-defense discretionary spending, which covers most of the federal government’s activities, would drop from the $597 billion to $555 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, defense spending would climb from $647 billion (closer to $800 billion) this year to $736 billion in 2028.

Well you could quit giving over half the budget to the effing military, defense companies and stop supporting the terrorist who are doing your dirty work for us. Oh yeah, and to all the foreign countries that we're giving billions to so they can buy their weapons from our defense companies.

As the United States government admits that Social Security and Medicare services are going bankrupt and will both be completely depleted within the next 16 years, American taxpayers are giving around $10.5 million to a close ally that is routinely accused of human rights violations.

While the U.S. government’s failure to take care of its citizens may be viewed as a good thing because it lets them turn to solutions in the private sector to solve their problems, the government is still robbing citizens through taxes, and making it look as if it will benefit them in the long run through programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

In reality, the federal government is using the money it extorts from citizens to fund endless wars in the Middle East—with the price tag for the longest war in U.S. history costing double the estimate of what it would cost to end homelessness in the U.S. annually in 2018. Millions of taxpayer dollars are also being spent on questionable foreign aid programs, such as the United States’ increasing pledges of military aid to Israel.

Guess what country has universal health while we are told that we can't afford it? Yep. Israel.
If you hit the WP paywall ... Different link

It's definitely one that should get more exposure. I also read how Nixon agreed to keep Israel's nuclear weapons a secret and how every president since has also. They aren't told about this until Israel's henchmen show up in the Oval Office. Joe posted the link in tonight's EBs.

#2 the US is being used as a cash cow for Israel. I'm done with thinking that the US are forever tied to its hip.

They are a country of about 9-10 million; the US is about 325 million, and yet we have to support them. They are a huge part of the reason we have a huge military engaged in wrecking other countries in the east.

up

6 users have voted.

—

Disclaimer: No Russian, living or dead, had anything to do with the posting of this proudly home-grown comment

@snoopydawg
As for the women's march, right on. It's not going to be enough unfortunately, particularly if Cindy and company keep it from being hijacked by the democratic party. I keep believing we need to aim bigger. But more and more are getting there.

"When government serves privileged interests at the expense of most others, sustained resistance is the only possible way for positive change.

It's definitely one that should get more exposure. I also read how Nixon agreed to keep Israel's nuclear weapons a secret and how every president since has also. They aren't told about this until Israel's henchmen show up in the Oval Office. Joe posted the link in tonight's EBs.

America is being systematically thirdworldized – notably since the neoliberal 90s, escalated under Bush/Cheney, social justice further assaulted under Obama.

The Trump regime and GOP-controlled Congress want New Deal/Great Society programs eliminated altogether – by defunding or privatization, giving Wall Street and other corporate predators new profit centers, at the expense of grievously harmed ordinary people, especially the nation’s most vulnerable.

The state of America today is deplorable. Reported 3.8% unemployment is baloney, real unemployment at 21.4% with longterm discouraged and displaced workers included, according to Shadowstats economist John Williams.

Most US workers are underemployed in rotten part-time or temp jobs because millions of full-time ones no longer exist – lost by offshoring to low-wage countries.

This is what the democrats should be campaigning on and bringing this everyone's attention to get people to vote for them, but has any of them been telling people that this is what the republicans are planning to Do? Since 2005 people have been saying that the democrats need to "do this" if they want to take back control of congress again. Or that they "need to grow a spine' yet they never have. Why not? Because they want the same things that the republicans do.

Remember during the Bush and Obama's presidency when the democrats were in the majority in the either the senate or the house and the republicans were able to put secret holds on legislation or filibuster them? But now that the democrats are the minority not one of them have done that to stop the republicans from passing their legislation. Not one democrat has done that. Why didn't Bernie or Warren do that since they are supposed to be the most progressive members of congress? Warren is obviously a fake progressive who gives great fiery speeches, but nothing comes from them.

I thought that people would take to the streets if the republicans passed the tax bill, but it didn't happen because Trump's supporters think that it's for their benefit, even though they will only get a tax cut for a few years. Maybe if the republicans are able to do this then people will finally decide that the water is too hot.

#2.2.1 As for the women's march, right on. It's not going to be enough unfortunately, particularly if Cindy and company keep it from being hijacked by the democratic party. I keep believing we need to aim bigger. But more and more are getting there.

"When government serves privileged interests at the expense of most others, sustained resistance is the only possible way for positive change.

I wandered by here late tonight because I miss riverlover. I checked out her Facebook first - oh, hell, I miss her! And she is now gone because she was falling apart, dying waiting for Medicare to kick in because in this fucking country beautiful people die needlessly much too soon because we must fund the killing of people we've never even met across the seas. This is insanity!!! Enough of the goddamn crazyness. I'm ready to march on Washington, to camp on the Mall until this country gets back on track. I am tired of waiting for someone else to start the call to insurrection. I'm calling it right damn now! I'm ready to throw my wheelchair in my van and head out from Jackson, Mississippi to Washington DC and camp out on the Mall until this country comes to its senses. I am not going to wait for all you folks to read that, oh, dancingrabbit died, too. I am Joyce Cain and I am not going quietly into the night! Now ... who's with me? My SUV seats six.

The deadline to register and reserve your seat on the bus is fast approaching for the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival's Mass Meeting and Rally in Washington, DC . In fact, the deadline is Thursday morning. Registering is a two-step process:

· Click here to pay for your ticket and/or to make a contribution for someone else to be able to attend. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to SPECIAL DONATIONS and designate Poor People’s Campaign. You can also order a t-shirt from this site for $20. Indicate your style and size in the note category.

I wandered by here late tonight because I miss riverlover. I checked out her Facebook first - oh, hell, I miss her! And she is now gone because she was falling apart, dying waiting for Medicare to kick in because in this fucking country beautiful people die needlessly much too soon because we must fund the killing of people we've never even met across the seas. This is insanity!!! Enough of the goddamn crazyness. I'm ready to march on Washington, to camp on the Mall until this country gets back on track. I am tired of waiting for someone else to start the call to insurrection. I'm calling it right damn now! I'm ready to throw my wheelchair in my van and head out from Jackson, Mississippi to Washington DC and camp out on the Mall until this country comes to its senses. I am not going to wait for all you folks to read that, oh, dancingrabbit died, too. I am Joyce Cain and I am not going quietly into the night! Now ... who's with me? My SUV seats six.

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15 users have voted.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@dancingrabbit
For riverlover, Badger, Edger, native and others who can no longer fight the power.
The only way for me to control my anger about all this is to completely shut down reading anything about it. I can't seem to do that.
I agree, it's time to do something, anything.

I wandered by here late tonight because I miss riverlover. I checked out her Facebook first - oh, hell, I miss her! And she is now gone because she was falling apart, dying waiting for Medicare to kick in because in this fucking country beautiful people die needlessly much too soon because we must fund the killing of people we've never even met across the seas. This is insanity!!! Enough of the goddamn crazyness. I'm ready to march on Washington, to camp on the Mall until this country gets back on track. I am tired of waiting for someone else to start the call to insurrection. I'm calling it right damn now! I'm ready to throw my wheelchair in my van and head out from Jackson, Mississippi to Washington DC and camp out on the Mall until this country comes to its senses. I am not going to wait for all you folks to read that, oh, dancingrabbit died, too. I am Joyce Cain and I am not going quietly into the night! Now ... who's with me? My SUV seats six.

I only knew that she had a lot of medical problems, mostly head injuries. You are not alone in missing riverlover.

Thank you for your comment.

I wandered by here late tonight because I miss riverlover. I checked out her Facebook first - oh, hell, I miss her! And she is now gone because she was falling apart, dying waiting for Medicare to kick in because in this fucking country beautiful people die needlessly much too soon because we must fund the killing of people we've never even met across the seas. This is insanity!!! Enough of the goddamn crazyness. I'm ready to march on Washington, to camp on the Mall until this country gets back on track. I am tired of waiting for someone else to start the call to insurrection. I'm calling it right damn now! I'm ready to throw my wheelchair in my van and head out from Jackson, Mississippi to Washington DC and camp out on the Mall until this country comes to its senses. I am not going to wait for all you folks to read that, oh, dancingrabbit died, too. I am Joyce Cain and I am not going quietly into the night! Now ... who's with me? My SUV seats six.

up

5 users have voted.

—

Disclaimer: No Russian, living or dead, had anything to do with the posting of this proudly home-grown comment

@snoopydawg
riverlover's Medicare started right at three weeks before she died. Those whole disastrous last few months she was waiting for Medicare to kick in so she could afford the medical care she knew she needed. This whole non-care for so many sick people in this country actually makes me feel guilty for "winning" the healthcare lottery with my MS diagnosis. What a country.

That is exactly what the Duopoly (dems/repubs) wants you to do. Give the fuck up, roll over, tits up.

Half the country doesn't vote already. If they did, maybe we'd get a third party elected -- one that has not been corrupted (yet). The Greens (as an example) are at a minimum honest. They would be on the side of the commoners and want to stop the pointless wars. That's enuff to earn my vote.

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11 users have voted.

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Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.

That is exactly what the Duopoly (dems/repubs) wants you to do. Give the fuck up, roll over, tits up.

Half the country doesn't vote already. If they did, maybe we'd get a third party elected -- one that has not been corrupted (yet). The Greens (as an example) are at a minimum honest. They would be on the side of the commoners and want to stop the pointless wars. That's enuff to earn my vote.

@Citizen Of Earth
"boycott the next election between the two oligarchy political parties.", is because that's what the election process in this country is about, the two major parties. The media makes sure everything is funneled into the duopoly prism and the election, and basically everything else, is always about the democrats against the republicans. Look at the media any day and it's always about the dems vs the repubs. That has to end.

I've called for election boycotts in the past but have tried to clarify that by supporting voting for third parties as an option to "boycott" the election between duopoly parties. I personally feel it won't do us any good to vote third party, not unless all of a sudden we got 50 million non voters to all vote green, which isn't going to happen. But any push against the duopoly is a good thing.

#4.1
Voting for either of the corporatist, neoliberal parties (dems or repubs) is voting against our own interests.

paid for by my employer in retirement, we spent $3,500 out of pocket on medical costs not including prescriptions, the Medicare taxes I pay, and the deductions from my pension check for my share of my so-called employer-paid retirement health insurance.

paid for by my employer in retirement, we spent $3,500 out of pocket on medical costs not including prescriptions, the Medicare taxes I pay, and the deductions from my pension check for my share of my so-called employer-paid retirement health insurance.

As I've said before, boycotting the election is as effective as threatening to hold your breath until you turn blue. They couldn't care less. In fact, if they only get their fellow grafters to vote they will have Soviet style 90+% returns. That will be scorned as illegitimate? So what? They don't care as long as they have the guns,tanks, cops, and prisons.

Withdrawing from the field won't work. We need a strategy to offer an alternative to the voters and get out their and vote for it ourselves.

EDIT:
At least change it to "Boycott the Duopoly". Then I can endorse it.

As I've said before, boycotting the election is as effective as threatening to hold your breath until you turn blue. They couldn't care less. In fact, if they only get their fellow grafters to vote they will have Soviet style 90+% returns. That will be scorned as illegitimate? So what? They don't care as long as they have the guns,tanks, cops, and prisons.

Withdrawing from the field won't work. We need a strategy to offer an alternative to the voters and get out their and vote for it ourselves.

EDIT:
At least change it to "Boycott the Duopoly". Then I can endorse it.